Flames edge Blues in shootout

Dec 24, 2013 - 5:29 AM

Calgary, AB (SportsNetwork.com) - Mark Giordano tied the game with 5.1 seconds
left in regulation and Joe Colborne netted the lone shootout tally, as Calgary
rallied for a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Mike Cammalleri and Jiri Hudler each had a goal and an assist for the Flames,
who snapped a four-game skid. Reto Berra turned aside 32 shots.

"We felt like the last three or four games we've been playing really well, but
we haven't been getting the results," Giordano said. "Against one of the best
teams in the league to come back and win in that way, it leaves a good
feeling. It's going to be a nice Christmas break for sure."

Jaden Schwartz, Kevin Shattenkirk and Magnus Paajarvi had the goals for the
Blues, who had won their previous two games.

Jaroslav Halak, who made 26 saves for the Blues, was beaten by a wrister
between the legs from Colborne on the opening attempt of the shootout.

Paajarvi's final chance to extend the shootout failed when Berra poke-checked
the puck away.

Goals from Schwartz and Paajarvi 44 seconds apart in the second period boosted
the Blues to a 3-1 lead, but Cammalleri scored at 11:05 of the third on a shot
from the bottom of the right circle.

Patrik Berglund was then called for roughing at 18:23, and the Flames
immediately pulled Berra. The move paid off after intense pressure on the St.
Louis net. Giordano scored from the bottom of the right circle on a one-timer
off a cross-ice pass from Jiri Hudler.

Shattenkirk scored at 7:23 of the first on the power play off a backhand pass
from Brenden Morrow.

Hudler tied the game at 12:06 of the second on the power play on a shot from
the left circle, but Schwartz moved the Blues back in front only 1:43 later
on a shot from the slot. It was 3-1 following Paajarvi's rebound tally.

"We lost composure with the puck. We made some puck errors," Blues coach Ken
Hitchcock said. "We got caught not clearing pucks at the end. We had full
control of the hockey game and the second goal gave Calgary some momentum, but
we were in full control of the hockey game. We were just winding the game down
and made some puck errors and the next thing you know it was in our net."

Game Notes

Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester played in his 800th NHL game, the last 671 of
which have come in succession ... Calgary center Matt Stajan limped to the
dressing room in overtime after David Backes was penalized for kneeing ...
Mickael Backlund had two assists for the Flames ... The Blues are 7-0-4 in
games against Canadian teams this season ... Calgary continues its five-game
homestand Friday against Edmonton, while the Blues host Chicago Saturday ...
The Blues are 3-0-2 in their last five road games ... Flames forward Curtis
Glencross was revealed to have suffered a high ankle sprain in a 4-3 loss to
Pittsburgh on Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for at least two
months. Defenseman Kris Russell sustained a second-degree sprain of the medial
collateral ligament in one of his knees against the Penguins and is expected
to be out of action for the next 4-to-6 weeks. Blair Jones, a bottom-six
forward, will be out indefinitely after a diagnosis of a torn meniscus in one
of his knees, while defenseman Dennis Wideman remains week-to-week with a
fractured hand sustained in late November ... The Blues played without
Alexander Steen due to an upper-body injury.